: knowledge of how to do something smoothly and efficiently : expertise

Examples of know-how in a Sentence

you'll gain some practical know-how in this auto mechanics class
Recent Examples on the Web
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This means capturing and protecting an organization’s collective intelligence — not just data, but the decisions, judgment, intuition, and know-how that usually live in people’s heads. Swami Chandrasekaran, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2025 State control of the industry under successive socialist governments has sidelined the foreign investment and know-how required to mine the metal, highly prized in the energy transition and in particular for the manufacture of EV batteries. Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 22 Oct. 2025 Since its debut, Rene has starred on Tracker as Reenie Greene, an attorney whose legal know-how comes in handy as Colter busts bad guys. Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Oct. 2025 Thanks to Leaper’s keen investigative abilities and interviewing know-how, the fashion journalist is able to take readers on intimate journeys inside the origin stories of 53 models-slash-celebrities, who were able to shape their industry from 1911 to the present day. Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 21 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for know-how

Word History

First Known Use

1838, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of know-how was in 1838

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Cite this Entry

“Know-how.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/know-how. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

know-how

noun
ˈnō-ˌhau̇
: knowledge of how to get things done : expertise

More from Merriam-Webster on know-how

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